1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a connector.
2. Description of the Related Art
A known connector is disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 5,344,347 and is illustrated in FIGS. 8 and 9 herein. The connector of FIGS. 8 and 9 includes a casing 1 into which a housing 2 can be inserted. The housing 2 is formed with cavities 3, and terminal fittings 4 are inserted into the cavities 3 before the housing 2 is mounted into the casing 1. Locks 5 are cantilevered from the bottom surfaces of the cavities 3 and are temporarily deformed by the terminal fittings 4. When the terminal fittings 4 are inserted to proper depth, the locks 5 are restored elastically to their original shape to engage and lock the terminal fittings 4.
The terminal fittings 4 could come out of the cavities if the locks 5 erroneously undergo an elastic deformation after the terminal fittings 5 are accommodated. Deformation-restricting members have been used to prevent inadvertent elastic deformation of the locks 5. For example, Japanese Unexamined Patent Publication No. 12-67989 shows a known deformation-restricting member that enters the deformation permitting spaces for the locks after the terminal fittings have been accommodated in the housing. The problem of inadvertent elastic deformation of the locks can be solved by the teaching of Japanese Unexamined Patent Publication No. 12-67989 to the connector shown in FIG. 8.
The deformation-restricting member of Japanese Unexamined Patent Publication No. 12-67989 is mounted first in a partial locking position in the housing. The terminal fittings then are inserted into the cavities and the deformation-restricting member is pushed to its full locking position. The housing then is placed into the casing. Thus, four cumbersome operations are required to assemble the connector, and assembling efficiency is poor.
In view of the above, an object of the present invention is to provide a connector that can be assembled with fewer operational steps.
The invention is directed to a connector with at least one housing formed with cavities into which terminal fittings are insertable. Locks are deformed temporarily and enter deformation-permitting spaces as the terminal fittings are inserted into the cavities. The locks are restored resiliently or elastically when the terminal fittings reach a proper depth and engage the terminal fittings. The assembly of the housing and the terminal fittings then can be inserted into a casing. The casing comprises at least one deformation-restricting portion that enters the deformation-permitting spaces for the locks as the housing is accommodated into the casing. Thus, deformation of the locks is restricted and the terminal fittings cannot be removed from the cavities.
The deformation-restricting portion is provided in the casing. As a result, the number of operation steps required to assemble the connector can be reduced as compared to a prior art connector which requires the deformation restricting portion to be mounted as a separate member in a partial locking position in the housing and then requires the deformation restricting portion to be pushed to a full locking position.
The deformation-restricting portion preferably is integral or unitary with the casing. Thus, the number of parts can be reduced as compared to the deformation-restricting portion that is mounted in the casing as a separate member, and the number of assembly steps can be reduced further.
A plurality of cavities preferably are arranged side by side in the housing and a plurality of deformation restricting portions are provided side by side in the casing to correspond to the deformation permitting spaces in the respective cavities. Thus adjacent deformation restricting portions are coupled, and the strength of the deformation restricting portions can be enhanced.
The side-by-side cavities preferably are arranged at two or more stages in the housing and the side-by-side deformation-restricting portions preferably are provided at stages in the casing to correspond to the deformation-permitting spaces in the cavities. Coupling portions preferably couple the stages of deformation-restricting portions to each other.
A receiving groove preferably is provided in the deformation-restricting portion. The receiving groove is configured to receive the corresponding lock and to restrict deformation of the lock towards the deformation permitting space and in widthwise directions of the lock. A base of the lock preferably can be received in the receiving groove so that upper and opposite side surfaces of the base contact the circumferential surfaces of the corresponding receiving groove.
A groove array may be formed in the front surface of the housing to separate a front part of the auxiliary housing into groups of several cavities. Ribs are provided in the casing and are insertable into corresponding grooves of the groove array. Thus, entrance of the ribs into the groove array facilitates the insertion operation of the housing into the casing. Preferably, the deformation restricting portions are provided integrally or unitarily on the ribs.
At least two housings preferably are assembled into one casing.
A resilient member may be fit to a portion of the housing and the terminal fittings may arranged therein to provide a watertight fit. The resilient member preferably is pressed against the housing and/or to the terminal fittings by a pressing member secured to the casing.
These and other objects, features and advantages of the present invention will become more apparent upon reading of the following detailed description of preferred embodiments and accompanying drawings. It should be understood that even though embodiments are described separately, single features thereof may be combined to additional embodiments.